Edward Ross

Religious Freedom Correspondent

Articles by Edward Ross

17 Jul, 2025 17:22 EDT

Middle East Religious Freedom

Israeli tank strikes only Catholic church in Gaza strip

By Edward Ross

An Israeli tank strike killed three people and injured a priest at the Gaza strip’s only Catholic church on Thursday morning (July 17), with the military saying an initial inquiry found “fragments from a shell” mistakenly hit the structure.
23 Jun, 2025 09:24 EDT

Middle East Religious Freedom

Suicide bombing kills 25 people on outskirts of Damascus, Syria

By Edward Ross

A terrorist in Syria killed at least 25 people in a suicide bombing of a church on the outskirts of Damascus at about 5 p.m. on Sunday (June 22), according to reports.
20 Jun, 2025 14:42 EDT

Africa Religious Freedom

Massacre in Benue state, Nigeria elicits rare response from president

By Edward Ross

Days after a massacre of more than 100 people in a predominantly Christian village in Benue state, Nigeria, the country’s president called for action against the assailants even as a local traditional ruler tried to correct him and others about the nature of such attacks.
11 Jun, 2025 13:37 EDT

Asia Religious Freedom

Banned church in China faces closures, detentions

By Edward Ross

A large church in China that has regrouped and spread after authorities dismantled it in 2018 has faced renewed detentions and closures in the past few weeks, rights monitor Bitter Winter reported.
30 May, 2025 13:50 EDT

Caribbean Religious Freedom

Growing oppression continues in Cuba as pastors charged for mentioning God

By Edward Ross

Prosecutors in Cuba seek to imprison a pastoral couple for eight years for mentioning God at a military tribunal for their son, amid a new report showing a continuing trend of increased oppression in the island country.
17 May, 2025 08:20 EDT

Asia Religious Freedom

Christians among Rohingya refugees cast into sea

By Edward Ross

An estimated 15 Christians were among at least 40 Rohingya refugees from Myanmar (Burma) detained in New Delhi that the Indian navy on May 8 threw into the sea, the AP reported.
6 May, 2025 10:25 EDT

Middle East Religious Freedom

Iran sends wife of re-arrested pastor into solitary confinement

By Edward Ross

Besides questioning and threatening friends of an Iranian-Armenian pastor re-arrested for practicing his faith, authorities in Iran have detained his wife and put her in solitary confinement, according to an advocacy group.
14 Apr, 2025 12:09 EDT

Africa Religious Freedom

Christians in area of Mauritania fear for their lives after protests against their presence

By Edward Ross

Authorities last week approved a demonstration by Muslims against the presence of Christians in a town of southern Mauritania that resulted in protesters exhuming the body of a Christian and dragging it through the streets, sources said.
1 Apr, 2025 19:50 EDT

Asia Religious Freedom

Christians among Afghan refugees deported by Pakistan, facing 'life-threatening dangers'

By Edward Ross

Christians are among hundreds of thousands of Afghan refugees that Pakistan was to begin forcibly repatriating on Tuesday (April 1) to Afghanistan, where the ruling Taliban has asserted they will kill any Christian, sources said.
19 Mar, 2025 12:32 EDT

Middle East Religious Freedom

Christian prisoner in Iran beaten for requesting heart treatment

By Edward Ross

A prison officer in Iran beat an imprisoned Christian convert for requesting medical treatment for a heart condition, according to advocacy group Article 18.
11 Mar, 2025 12:36 EDT

Middle East Religious Freedom

Iran hands pregnant Christian woman, two others harsh prison sentences

By Edward Ross

Iran’s Revolutionary Court sentenced a pregnant Christian woman to 16 years in prison on Saturday (March 8) and also handed harsh punishments to two other converts from Islam, a rights group reported.
21 Feb, 2025 06:00 EST

Middle East Religious Freedom

Christian migrants among deportees from the U.S. to Islamist countries

By Edward Ross

Christian converts from Islam are among migrants from countries hostile to Christianity who have been deported from the United States – initially to Panama, where they are isolated before possible deportation to their home countries, according to The New York Times.

Edward Ross

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